Completing the World with Our Words
By Rabbi Shimon Raichik
This week is the parsha of Shelach in which Moshe Rabbenu sent 12 spies to the land of Israel. He gave them instructions to see the land, understand it's features, what the people living there are like, if they are strong or weak, if they are few or many, and then return with a report.
When they returned they gave a negative report saying that Jewish People were unable to go up and conquer the land because their opponents were stronger. This caused the people to cry and become hysterical. Instead of immediately entering the land the result was 39 more years of wandering the desert. The entire generation eventually died without reaching Eretz Yisroel and the ten spies were immediately punished and died from a plague.
In a Sicha the Rebbe asked what the actual sin of the spies was. They seemingly fulfilled the job for which they were sent. Moshe Rabbenu told them to look into the details and they did just that. By saying that the people that dwell in the land were strong, and that the cities were fortified, and that they were very great, they were giving nothing more than their honest assessment. So where did they go wrong?
Their mistake was not in the reports but in the conclusions that they mistakenly made from what they thought were obvious from what they observed. The insult of their words were added to the injury of their mistaken assessment. So how could they have gotten around this problem? If they would have first consulted with Moshe Rabbenu before going public they may have avoided this great tragedy.
What might have been the kind of explanation they would have received to address their concerns? Moshe Rabbenu would have told him that although they would enter into a physical battle, Hashem would be with them throughout. Hashem would perform miracles as he did with the splitting of the Red Sea and they would overcome the obstacles of living in the land, and the promises and the blessings would be fulfilled in entirety. Moshe Rabbenu would enter the land with them and build the Beis HaMikdash and the geula would ensue.
Instead of seeking Moshe Rabbenu's advice they immediately expressed without hesitation all their fears and opinions. They overwhelmed and frightened the Jewish People who reacted in a way that eventually led to the destruction of Tisha bAv.
What practical lesson does this teach each and everyone of us in our daily lives? Parshas Shelach teaches us that while it is legitimate to be frustrated and even confused about things that go on in our lives and in our communities we need to be careful before responding reflexively. In this modern world of social media, Twitter and Facebook and the like we have become accustomed to expressing our thoughts off-the-cuff with irreversible results. What we say write and post all becomes a permanent part of the Internet for all to see. We cannot control the damage that we cause, even if it was caused by mistake and for legitimate upset. Nevertheless it is irreversible and this should give all of us some pause. Who suffers when we make an inaccurate mistake? Everyone!
In times gone by, when we lived in a world without the technological advantages of social media we were forced by default to pause, wait and think things through before sending them out. It was less common to act on the spur of the moment unless the person was in front of us.
Take for example problems in our schools. If a teacher and a parent have a disagreement patience is a necessity. If we as parents let go of inhibition and take to Twitter or social media to relieve the stress of what we consider to be unfair treatment by a teacher we can destroy the education of our children. Even the child may be able to see later on what's been written in many cases, if not immediately. Once the child listens or reads to what was said about his or her teacher, all the lectures in the world will not get them to respect their teacher. Their respect for them was destroyed by what they read or heard and now the teacher cannot teach. Who loses? The child, who didn't learn in class, they learned chutzpah instead.
The same is true for teachers. Once a teacher strikes out or vents frustrations against a child in public it is too late because the public shame caused irreversible damage to the child. Once that has occurred there's really no such thing as making it up.
The lesson we can take from the spies is to first consult with a Mashpiah before taking action or before speaking out. It's better to think it over and hesitate before reflexively using social media as an instant catharsis for our frustrations, fears, doubts and pains.
By mastering our ability to hesitate, and by mastering positive speech we will be able to reveal the hidden potential in each and every person. Since each and every person plays an essential part in bringing the geula, by participating in bringing out the hidden potential in each and every person we do our part and help complete our mission of bringing Moshiach Now!
A Good Shabbos